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| Search Result for "13012" | ||||
| Lot | Description | Status | ||
13012 Click to enlarge photo | Julius Caesar. BC 49-44. March-April BC 44. Silver Denarius (3.63 g). Rome mint.M. Mettius, moneyer. Laureate head right / Venus Victrix standing left, holding Victory and transverse sceptre, resting her elbow on shield set on celestial globe to right; A to left.VF. Rev. off centre as most of the examples from the same issue. Area of weakness.Crawford 480/17; Alfoldi Type XVI, 62 (A10/R9); CRI 101; Sydenham 1055; RSC 35; RBW 1686. Rome had spurned the Hellenistic practice of placing the ruler?s portrait on the coinage of the realm, much as they rejected the concept of kingship altogether. So early in 44 BC, many Romans must have been stunned to see the image of Julius Caesar, recently appointed dictator for an unprecedented fourth time, on circulating silver denarii. Like a profusion of other honors and titles, the right to place his image on coins had been bestowed on Caesar by the Roman Senate. Caesar?s enemies may have had an ulterior motive in approving the honor, as it almost certainly would fuel the growing suspicion that Caesar intended to name himself king of Rome. If this was the intent, it succeeded, for within three months a conspiracy had been formed and Caesar was duly assassinated at a meeting of the Senate on March 15, 44 BC. This silver denarius carries a startlingly realistic, warts-and-all portrait of Caesar on the obverse and the image of the dictator?s patron goddess, Venus, on the reverse. The obverse legend acclaims Caesar as ?Imperator,? or victorious general. Within a few years, Caesar's successors and even his assassins would show no compunction about putting their portraits on their coins. (P) | SOLD at A$2400 | ||
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